Valve for relieving high and low pressures



;NOV. 25, 1952 MYERS ETAL 2,619,113

VALVE FOR RELIEVING HIGH AND LOW PRESSURES l 4 Filed Nov. 7. 1949 2 sums-swam 1 fiy.l. 5/

' 7 3n enters James [Me/5 a/M Moi/7 F/Varr/e/vde Gttorneg Nov. 25, 1952 J F, MYERS ET AL 2,619,113

VALVE FOR RELIEVING HIGH AND LOW PRESSURES Filed Nov. 7. 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Enventors My WM (Ittornegs Patented Nov. 25, 1952 UNITED STAT-Es TENT OFFICE City, Mo., assignors to Black, Sivalls & Bryson, Inc.-, Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of Delaware Application November 7, 1949, Serial No. 125,926

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a relief vent valve of the type disclosed in the 'Dugan Patent No. 2,388,395 issued November 6, 1945, for relieving high and low pressures and which employs a body member having a passage containing flaine arrestor bank that is protected by a cover member which cooperates with a body member in providing a circumferential relief passage through which pressures are equalized on the respective sides of the flame arrestor bank, the circumferential passageway being closed by a ringlike valving element rigidly attached to one of the members and resiliently engaging an annular seat of the other member to be unseated under movement of the cover member when the cover memher is raised responsive to high pressures passing through the flame arrestor and which unseats responsive to low pressure on the fire arrestor side.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a device of this character with a simple and secure attachment of the va-lving ring and its clamping member.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a vent valve structure with a minimum of machining operations, to provide a structure which facilitates removal and application of the valving ring, and to provide a support for the cover memher on the body member of the vent valve to maintain proper contact of the valving element with its seat.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention as hereinafter pointed out, we have provided improved structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a combined vent valve and name arrestor embodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 22 of 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the parts of the device shown in disassembled spaced relation to better illustrate the construction thereof.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

l designates a high and low pressure relief or vent valve embodying the features of the present invention and which includes a body member 2 having an upper cylindrical wall portion 3 and a lower cone portion 4 terminating in a neck portion 5 that is suitably attached to the wall of a closed vessel, not shown, through a flange 6, the flange being secured by fastening devices such as cap screws 7. The upper part of the wall p rti 3 t r ates in an a nular seat .8 en- 2 circling a compartment -9 of a sizeto contain a fire stop and flame arrestor bank II].

The flame arrestor bank H] may be of any suitable construction to provide suilicient number of openings ll that the combined flow capacity therethrough may be equal to or in excess ofthe normal flow capacity of the passageway l2 that is provided by the neck portion 5 of the body member. V v

The upper portion of the body 2 mounts a movable cover [3 which carries a valving element [4 in yielding contact with the seat 8 to retain a predetermined working pressure within the vessel, but which is unseated upon movement of the cover to release high pressure from the vessel or to relieve low pressures within the vessel by external pressure acting thereon as later described.

The cover l3 includes a top 5 of larger 'di ameter than the seat 8 so that an annular depending wall portion 1'6 at the marginal edge thereof is spaced a sufli'cient distance from the seat 8 to provide an annular passageway I? and to accommodate the valving element 14. The base of the wall portion I6 is joined with an annular outwardly extending flange portion I8 terminating in an outer depending substantially annular wall portion [9. 1

In the illustrated instance, the cover is pivotally connected at one side thereof with the body 2 by a hinge 20 comprising outwardly extending ears 2 l and 22 on the body portion 3 and ears 23 and 24 projecting from the cover and which are connected with the ears 23 and 24 by a hinge pin 25 passing through suitable openings in the respective ears, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The cars 23 and 24 are partially formed within an extension 25 of the cover which curves downwardly over the ears on the body member and provides a protection for the hinge pin '25 and lower edge 21 thereof is adapted to engage shoulders 28 on the ears o f th'e body portion 3 to limit opening movement of the cover so that upon opening, the center of gravity remains on the seat side of the hinge to assure return of the cover to its covering position. The opposite side of the cover is supported in proper relation with the valve seat 8 by means of an adjustable stop 29 carried by an outwardly eXtending lu'g 3S projecting from the body portion 3. The stop may comprise an adjusting screw 3'! having a head 32 adapted to engage underiac'e portion 33 of the cover and support the cover in parallel relation with the seat 8, the shank of the adjusting screw being threaded within the lug and the adjustment retained by a jam nut 34. The outer wall portion of the cover may extend about the adjusting screw and form a hook (Fig. 3).

The circumferential flange portion H] of the cover preferably slopes downwardly and outwardly to provide an annular clearance space above the valving ring and which is encircled by downwardly facing ledge 36 on which the outer marginal portion of the valving ring is seated and retained in seated position by a clamping member 31 having an outer ring portion 38 provided with clamping face 39 that engages the underside of the outer marginal portion of the valving ring. Offset downwardly from the outer ring portion 38 and rigidly supported therefrom by a circumferential series of spaced webs 40 is an inner ring portion 40' having an inner diameter to pass freely over the seat portion of the body member 2 when the cover moves on the hinge. The webs 40 thus slope downwardly in the opposite direction from the flange portion l8 of the cover member to provide ample working clearance for the inner flexible portion of the valving ring. In order to provide a secure clamping ring and to eliminate fastening devices such as screws or the like that require tools to effect insertion thereof and also to reduce machining operations, the outer depending wall portion of the cover is provided on the lower inner edge thereof with a series of inwardly extending lugs or teeth 4| that are spaced apart to provide passageway 42 therebetween for similar lugs or teeth 43 that extend outwardly from the outer ring portion 38 of the clamping member. Lugs 43 are spaced apart as at 44 and conform in width to the spacing 42 between the lugs 4| and are adapted to be passed freely therethrough when the lugs 43 register with the spaces 42 between the lugs 4| and the lugs 4| register with spaces 44 between the lugs 43, so that the clamping ring may be readily moved into position to engage and clamp the valving ring against the seat in the cover member. After insertion of the clamping member it may be turned slightly to bring the lugs or teeth out of registry with the spaces. In order to provide a clamping action on the clamping ring, the upper faces 45 of the inwardly extending lug 4| are inclined upwardly and outwardly in the direction of the outer wall portion r of the cover, as shown in Fig. 1, and when the clamping ring is in clamping position suificient space is provided between the inclined surfaces 45 of the lug 4| and the lower surfaces 46 of the lug 43 to accommodate a split ring 41 that may be formed of wirelike material and which is of size to spring outwardly into the space 48 formed between the lugs and which rides upwardly along the inclined surfaces of the teeth 4| to exert a clamping action on the clamping ring and thereby effect a seal between the valving ring and its seat in the cover member.

The flame arrestor bank I0 may be loosely supported in position within the compartment of the body member or it may be retained therein as now to be described. The fire bank preferably comprises a cylindrical body 49 that is slidably received within the compartment of the body member 2 and which is suspended therein by an annular flange 50 engaging an internal shoulder 5| within the upper portion of the body member. as shown in Fig. 1. If it is desired to retain the fire bank in fixed position, it may be retained by a split ring 52 that is engaged with an annular groove 53 opening inwardly from the 4 inner face of the wall portion 3, as shown in Fig. 1.

In assembling the parts, the flame arrestor bank I0 is inserted within the compartment of the body member and retained by the split ring 52. The flexible valving ring I4 will then be inserted within the cover so that the upper side thereof engages the seat 36. The clamping ring 3'! is then inserted so that the lugs 43 thereof pass between the spaces 42 of the lugs 4| of the cover I3 and the lugs 4| of the cover pass the spaces 44 between the lugs 43 of the clamping ring 31. The clamping ring 37 may then be moved into engagement with the underside of the valving ring l4 after which the split expandable ring 41 is inserted between the teeth of the lugs 4| and 43 to retain the valving member. The cover I3 is then hinged to the body member 2 by inserting the pin 25 through the openings in the ears 2|, 22, 23, and 24, and applying cotter pins to grooves in the ends thereof, as shown in Fig. l. The cover I 3 is then adjusted to level position with respect to the seat 8 so that the inner marginal edge thereof uniformly contacts the valve seat 8. If means is required to control unseating of the valving ring |4 responsive to external pressures, a weighting ring 54 is provided that is inserted within the cover member and which is supported on the upper face of valving ring M in outwardly offset relation with the seat 8, as shown in Fig. 1, the weighting ring 54 being of such size that there is ample movement within the space formed within the cover |3 when the valving ring I4 is unseated responsive to external pressure. When the device constructed and assembled as described is applied to a pressure vessel and pressures tend to rise within the vessel, the pressure acts through the flame arrestor bank l0 against the underside of the cover l3 and effects raising thereof on its hinge pin 25 in opposition to the atmospheric pressure tending to hold the cover in seated position. Upon raising of the cover l3 the inner edge of the valving member I4 is raised from the seat 8 to allow the pressure to escape and reduce the pressure within the vessel. When the pressure is relieved, the cover again drops to its support on the adjusting screw 3| with the inner portion of the valving ring in seating engagement with the seat 8. In case the pressure should drop within the vessel below external pressure, the external pressure acting on the underside of the valving ring M will raise the valving ring from its seat in opposition to the weighting ring 54 until the pressure within the vessel again approaches the external pressure. If it is necessary to replace the valving ring H, the split ring 41 is removed. The clamping ring 31 is then rotated slightly to bring the lugs 43 thereon into position to pass between the lugs 4| on the cover member l3 whereupon the clamping ring 3! may be withdrawn followed by the valving ring l4. A new valving ring may then be inserted and retained by the clamping ring, as above described.

From the foregoing, it is obvious that we have provided a combination vent valve and safety flame arrestor wherein the valving element is easily inserted and securely retained in position without the use of fastening devices such as bolts, rivets and the like. It is also obvious that the construction of the parts which mount and retain the valving ring requires little or no machining operation with the exception of an adequate surface for the seat 8.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device of the character described including an open top body member having a valve seat circling said open top of the body member, a cover member having a peripheral portion projecting outwardly beyond the valve seat and provided with an annular clamping face spaced outwardly from the valve seat, a series of spaced lugs carried by said peripheral portion of the cover in spaced relation from said clamping face and extending toward the body member, an annular valving ring having an outer marginal portion engaging the clamping face on the cover member and having a flexible inner portion yieldingly engaging said seat to close flow through the body member and yieldable from said seat responsive to predetermined pressure differential acting on opposite faces of the valving member,

a clamping ring for retaining the valving member in contact with said clamping face and having a circular series of spaced lugs adapted to pass between the spaces between the first named lugs when the clamping member is moved into clamping position, a wedging ring between said lugs of the cover and the lugs of the clamping ring for effecting clamping of the diaphragm, and means movably supporting the cover member on the body member.

2. A device of the character described including an open top body member having a valve seat circling the open top of the body member, a cover member having a peripheral portion projecting outwardly beyond the valve seat and provided with an annular clamping face spaced outwardly from the valve seat, a series of spaced lugs carried by said peripheral portion of the cover in spaced relation from said clamping face and extending toward the body member, an annular valving ring having an outer marginal portion engaging the clamping face on the cover member and having a flexible inner portion yieldingly engaging said seat to close flow through the fire stop compartment to and from said flow connection and yieldable from said seat responsive to predetermined pressure differential acting on opposite faces of the valving member, a clamping ring for retaining the valving member in clamping contact with said clamping face and having a circular series of spaced lugs adapted to pass between the spaces of the first named lugs when the clamping member is moved into clamping position, a wedging ring between said lugs of the cover member and the lugs of the clamping ring for effecting clamping of the diaphragm, and means movably supporting the cover member on the body member, said clamping ring including means for supporting the valving member against said predetermined higher pressure prior to movement of the cover memher.

3. A device of the character described including an open top body member having a valve seat circling the open top of the body member, a cover member having a peripheral portion projecting outwardly beyond the valve seat and provided with an annular clamping face spaced outwardly from the valve seat, a series of spaced lugs carried by said peripheral portion of the cover in spaced relation from said clamping face and extending toward the body member, an annular valving ring having an outer marginal portion engaging the clamping face on the cover member and having a flexible inner portion yieldingly engaging said seat to close flow through the body member and yieldable from said seat responsive to predetermined diiferential acting on opposite faces of the valving member, a clamping ring for retaining the valving member in contact with said clamping face and having a circular series of spaced lugs adapted to pass between the spaces of the first named lugs when the clamping member is moved into position, a wedging ring between said lugs of the cover and the lugs of the clamping ring for effecting clamping of the diaphragm, and means supporting the cover member on the body member.

4. A device of the character described including an open top body member having a valve seat circling the open top of the body member, a cover member having a peripheral portion projecting outwardly beyond the valve seat and provided with an annular clamping face spaced outwardly from the valve seat, a series of spaced lugs carried by said peripheral portion of the cover in spaced relation from said clamping face and extending toward the body member, an annular valving ring having an outer marginal portion engaging the clamping face on the cover member and having a flexible inner portion yieldingly engaging said seat, a clamping ring for retaining the valving member in contact with said clamping face and having a circular series of spaced lugs adapted to pass between the spaces of the first named lugs when the clamping member is moved into clamping position, a wedging ring between said lugs of the cover and the lugs of the clamping ring for eifecting clamping of the diaphragm, outer marginal portion of the said clamping ring including a portion encircling the body member and spaced web portions carrying said encircling portion to support the valving member, and a weight carried on the valving member above said web portions.

JAMES F. MYERS. JOHN R. HARCLERODE'.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,767,642 Anschicks June 24, 1930 2,317,923 Lebo Apr. 27, 1943 2,356,327 Lebus Aug. 22, 1944 2,388,395 Duggan Nov. 6, 1945 

